The Kennedys usually get what they want in Massachusetts, so it is no surprise that they got the state legislature to pass a law allowing the governor to make an interim appointment, and that the governor then chose the man they wanted to fill the seat.

If the Chinese and Japanese stop buying our bonds we will be in big trouble.

A new study shows that the Sun may be heading into a period of quiet, much like the Maunder Minimum of the late 17th Century. That period coincided with a very cool period for Europe in terms of climate conditions. If so, this new minimum could cause another cool period, perhaps offset by greenhouse effect emissions. As a political matter, I have long believed that the governments of the Earth would not be able to enforce cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in any substantive way, as democratic governments cannot take steps that will slow down economic growth, and totalitarian governments won't do it, either. Perhaps we will be saved, instead, by the Sun. If the minimum lasts for the 70 year period it did last time, that would give us time to transform our economies away from carbon-based fuels. That would be a happy coincidence, or evidence of something more, if you believe in such things.

The Iranian Government has revealed it has a second facility enriching Uranium. Barack Obama and the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and others can talk and talk, but they will not, in my estimation, stop the Iranians from their pursuit of nuclear weapons. Con Coughlin agrees with that conclusion, as do many others, I am sure.

More bad political news for the Democrats, as they see their fundraising efforts decline in 2009. Just another sign that they may have a very bad time of it in November, 2010.